ABSTRACT
This book is about radical change in the academic context. For the individual working in universities and colleges, this can mean trying to reconcile a wide range of conflicting and overlapping pressures which include the following.
Accepting transformations of job descriptions at regular intervals, with the old certainties of what it means to be a member of the academy swept away.
Learning to live with new reporting relationships, as reorganizations and restructuring exercises move from hierarchic structures to matrices (and back again).
Losing substantial elements of autonomy, especially about how and when work is undertaken and how the different elements of work are balanced.
Coping with a changing (often worsening) work environment when physical space in many institutions is at a premium, buildings are frequently under-maintained and demands for ever-improved equipment and technology increase.
Learning to use new technology to support teaching and learning at times when it seems that the ink is barely dry on the instruction manual (which is often incomprehensible in any case).
Trying to work out who the customer is in a service-orientated context and trying to satisfy all the (sometimes conflicting) demands of stakeholders including students, parents, employers, the government, quality agencies and others.
Taking responsibility for line management of others, sometimes without the necessary authority to take meaningful decisions, to offer rewards or to use sanctions.
182 Managing a devolved (and often shrinking) budget, frequently with very little training for the task and dire penalties for errors.
Accepting a high level of ambiguity and uncertainty with concomitant stress levels.
Working ever faster in a competitive environment, trying to be more efficient and effective in work practices when all others in the marketplace are doing likewise.
Pursuing the relentless quest for continuous improvement, since quality enhancement is the goal we are all urged to strive for and since professionals want to do their best for those for whom they work and are responsible.
